Baptism of fire for election first-timer
KEPONG: GE15 candidate Yap Zheng Hoe experienced his first taste of being snubbed by constituents during his maiden election campaign at the Kepong Baru market last Sunday.
Making his rounds at the bustling morning market, some traders and shoppers gave him the cold shoulder while others returned his greetings with indifference.
The first-time dabbler in the general election found this reception chilling but Yap kept his smile and continued with the pleasantries.
His reply to an elderly uncle who grumbled aloud that he was “too young, too inexperienced” and “hadn’t eaten as much rice as he had salt” was brilliant: “Yes, I am young, but give me a chance. After all, some people like spicy food, some don’t.”
Yap’s comeback earned him a few chuckles, and good-natured teasing.
The 30-year-old contesting under Barisan Nasional in the Kepong parliamentary constituency is a trueblue local boy.
“Deep in their heart, many of the people here know that I have been doing community service for the past 12 years ... ever since I was 18. I am here to stay. This is my home,” he tells The Star.
The fair, bespectacled Yap runs his own advertising and marketing business, which also has a construction arm. During his down time, he plays badminton and futsal.
Kepong has long been regarded as a “sure die” constituency, mainly because it is traditionally an anti-establishment area with a history of leftists and fiery opposition politicians from the 1950s to the 1970s.
It is known that many former political detainees are still living in the area, and they continue to influence local public opinion.
Since 1982, this seat has been consistently won by the DAP. The MCA only managed to grab one term when Tan Tiong Hong emerged victor in the 1978 elections.
But Yap is undeterred. “I am confident I can do more to help make Kepong a better place to live in. And it has only made me more determined than ever to work harder to gain more support for the coming elections.”
He proudly points out that the MCA service centre in Kepong, set up in 1964, never stopped serving its constituents despite the fact that after 1982 Barisan has never won the seat.
For Yap, whose family members are active MCA members, it was only natural to join the party upon his return from the University of York six years ago where he studied business marketing.
Should he win, Yap says he would want to review the development strategy in Kepong.
One key issue is traffic congestion, which he says is caused by illplanned development and poor public transportation.
“If traffic jams are reduced, residents here will have less stress on the road,” he says.
Being a successful businessman, Yap hopes to help young entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. He is certainly capable of this, given that he is the former vice-president of the Junior Chamber International’s Bukit Bintang branch.
In the last election in 2018, DAP’S Lim Lip Eng won Kepong with an overwhelming majority, netting 92% of the votes cast. Lim will defend the seat under the Pakatan Harapan banner.
Yap will also face Phaang Jing Fatt (Gerakan/perikatan Nasional), Shaun Young (Warisan) and Kepong Community Centre head Yee Poh Ping who is standing as an independent.
“With or without a tough opponent, I will do my best to serve the people,” he says.
“Win or lose, I will continue to serve the Kepong community. A political career is a marathon, not a sprint.”
This round, 94,000 Kepong voters (90% Chinese, 6% Indians and 4% Malays) will go to the polls on Nov 19.
On what he wants the voters to know about him, he says: “One, I am not afraid of hard work. Two, I speak my mind. Three, I am Yap Zheng Hoe – candidate No.3 for P114 Kepong.”
Whatever the outcome, “I am proud to be able to represent MCA,” says Yap.
“It will be another stage of my political career to do more for anakanak Kepong.”